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Ostwick Alienage
The Alienage in Ostwick is home to more than two thirds of Ostwick's elven population, and forms one of the city state's eighteen Bannons. It is located in the village of Sante Sur Mer, on the outskirts of Ostwick City. History Until the complete abolition of slavery in Ostwick in 760 Storm, the elven population of the city state remained small and largely rural. The disruption caused by the Qunari invasion and the safety granted by the extreme vigilance of the Orlesian occupiers of Kirkwall encouraged elves to settle in Ostwick in greater numbers towards the end of the Storm Age and the start of the Blessed Age. A thriving community developed in the city's tannery district, where their craftsmen gained a reputation for the quality of their armour and accessories. The narrow streets were, however, prone to outbreaks of disease and rife with crime, whilst the smell from the tanneries drew the ire of the wealthier human neighbours. The land was owned by the Therouz family of Orlais, who allowed the area to fall into disrepair and did nothing to ease tensions between the elves and their neighbours until 840 Blessed, when Madame Therese Therouz was sent to the city and began an ambitious and expensive gentrification project. In 850 Blessed, Madame Therouz had the entire tannery district, including the alienage, razed in a single day to build an opera house. The elves found themselves homeless and destitute once more, but Hahren Kisthu convinced them to remain in Ostwick and seek out a new home. They left the city and travelled north, intending to settle on the Therouz estate and demand shelter from their landlords, and happened across the village of Sante sur Mer. The village had been built as a perfect replica of Madame Therouz' home village in Orlais, complete with Chantry, inn and chateau, and left uninhabited since its completion. Hahren Kisthu claimed the right of shelter in the village and wrote a petition to Madame Therouz offering to begin renting the houses from her. She, of course, likely never even read his letters and certainly never responded to them. The elves were thus able to settle the village in relative peace and in 8:52 they planted the Vhenadahl, a gift from the Kirkwall Alienage. In 8:75 the City Council ruled that Madame Therouz had relinquished her right to collect rent on the land, and appointed the Hahren responsible for collecting taxes in her place. Kisthu's nephew, Kennet, began to represent the Alienage to the council and to Madame Therouz in 8:60. To everyone's surprise they formed a close friendship, and she named him manager of her estates, including the alienage. He quickly set about addressing the council's concerns and arranging for necessary repair and improvement works to her properties across Ostwick. The council were therefore unanimous in approving him as her heir in 8:75, and in upholding his inheritance in 9:05 when it was challenged by her Orlesian cousins. Kennet gave Sante sur Mer to Hahren Luonira, which ultimately led to the alienage becoming a Bannon of Ostwick following Corypheus's defeat in 9:42 Dragon. Geography Culture